SAN FRANCISCO (AP) 鈥� Tens of thousands of University of California physician assistants, optometrists, and other health care and custodial workers went on strike Wednesday over alleged unfair labor practices and staffing shortages.
The strikes by two unions representing nearly 60,000 health care and service workers are separate and come after the unions and 10-campus university system failed to reach a new contract.
The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 3299, or AFSCME Local 3299, and the University Professional Technical Employees (UPTE)-CWA Local 9119, or UPTE, also went alleging unfair bargaining tactics, which the university system denied.
AFSCME Local 3299 represents about 37,000 employees, including respiratory therapists, pharmacy techs, mental health workers, custodians and gardeners. It said the strike comes weeks after it filed new charges with the state鈥檚 Public Employment Relations Board over what it says are unfair labor practices by the university.
鈥淚nstead of addressing the decline in real wages that has fueled the staff exodus at UC Medical Centers and Campuses at the bargaining table, UC has chosen to illegally implement arbitrary rules aimed at silencing workers who are raising concerns while limiting their access to union representatives,鈥� said AFSCME Local 3299 President Michael Avant.
UPTE, which represents 20,000 employees, including physician assistants, optometrists, pharmacists, nurse case managers and mental health workers is on a three-day strike. The union said the university has attempted 鈥渢o silence whistleblowers speaking out about the staffing crisis that is hurting students, patient care, and critical research.鈥�
The university denied the allegations and said it fully supports the unions鈥� right to engage in legal strike activity and picketing 鈥渁s evidenced by AFSCME and UPTE鈥檚 two-day strike last November.鈥�
It added that it has offered each union 鈥渕eaningful鈥� wage increases, health care premium reductions and other incentives in response to the workers鈥� complaints.
鈥淭he University of California is disappointed that AFSCME and UPTE plan to strike. Both unions have chosen to focus their energy on strike preparation and amplifying misinformation rather than negotiating in good faith,鈥� the university said in a statement.
The contract for AFSCME Local 3299 expired July 31. UPTE鈥檚 contract expired Oct. 31.
The Associated Press
